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On September 30, Richard Harvey, a 74-year-old surrendered to Michigan authorities after allegedly shooting Joan Jacobson, an 84-year-old pro-life volunteer.
As per the New York Post, Joan Jacobson, who survived the assault, is a pro-life activist with Right to Life of Michigan. She was reportedly going door-to-door in Odessa, the township Richard Harvey resided in, attempting to convince neighbors to vote against Proposal 3, a law that would allow Michigan citizens to have abortions.
Joan Jacobson told Michigan authorities that she was shot suddenly during a discussion she was having with the suspect's wife, Sharon Harvey. After being shot, she was able to drive herself to a police station, from where she was then transported to a hospital, to be treated for the gunshot wound.
As per Detroit News, Richard Harvey has been charged with assault with a deadly weapon, careless discharge of a firearm causing injury, and reckless use of a firearm.
The allegations against Richard Harvey
According to Michigan Live, Richard Harvey is a retiree with no prior criminal record.
In an interview with the outlet News8, Richard Harvey told reporters that he did not intend to shoot the pro-life activist. In his account of the events, he heard an argument between the victim and his wife, Sharon. The suspect claimed that as a result, he fired a warning shot and inadvertently struck the activist.
In her conversation with the police dispatcher, Sharon Harvey implied that her husband did not mean to shoot the victim.
She said:
“He shot at her. It scraped her."
In an official statement, Ionia prosecutor Kyle Butler said:
"There's allegedly requests by the homeowners, including the defendant, for the victim to leave the property. When apparently the victim was not leaving the property either fast enough or at all, the defendant decided to fire what was characterised as a warning shot towards a tree in the property."
Butler, however, said that evidence at the scene seems to contradict Harvey's account of the incident.
He continued:
“The firearm discharged into the clipboard, leaving what appears to be gunshot residue on the clipboard, indicating the firearm was discharged in very close proximity to the clipboard."
In response, the suspect's defense argued that the he fired a shot at the victim after she began waving a clipboard, indicating a potential threat.
Butler said:
“He (Harvey) allegedly made a movement to knock the clipboard out of the way with that firearm, allegedly in order to keep the victim from hitting his wife with the clipboard."
WoodTV reported that the suspect was given a $10,000 bond. He has been ordered not to make any contact with the victim or her family.
